Toy Review - Masterpiece Acid Storm

[GoktimusPrime]

Series - Masterpiece
Sub-line - none
Size/class - N/A
New/remould/redeco - Redeco of MP-11 Starscream (previously released in Hasbro markets as MP Thundercracker)
Wave - MP-01
Released here - November 2013
Approximate Retail Price - AU$99
Approximate Size - 23cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Alt-mode - F-15 Eagle fighter jet
Main Features/Gimmicks - radar in nosecone, airbrakes, articulated wing flaps, jet panels open to reveal engines
Main Colours - Green, green and more green
Main Accessories - 2x arm/wing guns, 2x missile racks, pilot figurine (he's green too), gun clip, display base & stand

Image links:
Jet mode
Robot mode

Note: As this toy is a redeco of MP11 Starscream, my comments will focus on this redeco. See the MP11 Starscream review thread for comments about the 'original' mould itself.

Initial Thoughts
+ First off, this will be the most expensive ^Hasbro MP Seeker in Australia (MP Starscream was about $99 and Thundercracker was $80); so the price tag alone for such a rather obscure character may dissuade some people. But I don't think it's necessarily Hasbro Australia "fault," as prices for this toy overseas seem to be not massively cheaper; I purchased this toy in China for 799RMB (AU$130). At least Australia's managed to get a good price for MP Soundwave though; in China I saw Soundwave selling for 1399RMB (AU$229) 'bout the same price as the TakaraTOMY version!
+ On the plus side, both Acid Storm and Soundwave have arguably the nicest MP packaging ever produced by Hasbro. For once it's not just an oversized bubble and I'm actually considering keeping the box (not sure if I will keep the inside tray/blister though... if I'm desperate for luggage space I may discard it and flatten the box). The box does make the toy feel more like a collector's piece and they've taken Takara's cue in using toy photography instead of box art (still can't believe they used the box art of the wrong toy on MP Thundercracker's box )
+ The "MP01" designation feels weird to me. Firstly because to me MP01 is Convoy, and secondly this is hardly Hasbro's first Masterpiece. I guess it's the first in the new 'series' of Hasbro MPs with the new box style... eh... doesn't seem to merit a whole new series designation to me. <shrugs>
+ The toy is packaged in vehicle mode, but the instructions show you how to transform it from robot to vehicle; which I can imagine might be challenging for people who aren't familiar w/ the MP Seeker mould and/or who are new to the Masterpiece series which aren't exactly the easiest to transform for novices (especially w/ the way Hasbro draws their instructions). This is my 6th MP Seeker, so I was fine w/ it... My guess is that the instructions are a direct carry over from Thundercracker who's packaged in robot mode.

Cosmetic features
+ OMG... the GREEN! It hurts my eyes! It doesn't look so bright in photographs, but IRL this is that bright lolly green that's reminiscent of the gaudy green used on 1993's Generation 2 Megatron! Hasbro did a much better job with Universe Acid Storm in using a darker jungle camouflage style green, but they've clearly gone a different direction w/ this toy. My guess is that they modelled it more directly from the G1 cartoon where Acid Storm was a very bright green. So on one hand, I can appreciate the G1 cartoon homage, but on the other hand it just looks so bad! (unless you're really into early 90s colours and you're still rockin' your HyperColor T-shirts ). The camo patterns on the wings are a kind of "blocky" or "digitised" design rather than a more orthodox "splotchy" look you normally get on military camouflage. Of course, why a jet would need to be jungle camouflaged is a whole 'nuther matter. The weird thing is that the camo only occurs on the wings, whereas Universe Acid Storm's camo covered the entire top part of the jet.
+ I must say that the green eyes work really well for Acid Storm. It's also a nice departure from the tiresome red eyes that they usually give to Decepticons. Hmmm... I wonder if this was deliberate considering that Soundwave has yellow eyes (if so, I certainly welcome more well thought out moves like this).
+ The face sculpt doesn't work for Acid Storm's character IMO. The toy's tech specs bio describes him as being, well, everything that Starscream's not! The sculpt has that iconic "Starscream smirk" which IMO doesn't quite work for this character. I certainly didn't think it worked well on Thundercracker either. Doesn't work hugely well on Sunstorm either... let's face it, it doesn't work for any of the Seekers other than Starscream! This is why I'm glad I got the old versions of MP Skywarp and Thundercracker as I just leave them on their neutral facial expressions and only have the "smirk" face for Starscream; but the new Seeker mould doesn't allow me to change the facial expression (unless I've missed something all this time ).
+ The sides of the cockpit has two names tampographed on the sides; SGT. B 'Vicious' Vala, and SSGT. Etipsone. I had no idea what they meant; I thought B 'Vicious' Vala was a play on words (Be vicious, vala; not sure what Vala meant other than a reference to Middle Earth), and Etipsone was the name of a Hasbro staff member. Boy was I wrong. According to TFwiki, one is a reference to Bobby "Vicious" Vala, who is a Hasbro designer, and Etipsone is named after a graffiti artist (presumably a legal one). Okay... I can understand putting in references to Hasbro designers; but graffiti artists? Can someone tell me what direct relation Etipsone has had w/ Transformers before? I sure hope it's not just because someone at Hasbro happened to like this guy's work, because that feels far too self indulgent to me.
+ There's also a small black smudge which I should be able to easily remove with rubbing alcohol.

The mould
My Acid Storm seems to have some QA issues, and I'm not sure if it's just an isolated freak incident or if there's any degradation in the MP Seeker mould. My Acid Storm suffers from the following main problems:
1) The right wing joint is loose making the wing floppy in robot mode.
2) One of the rear stabliser wings is prone to popping off.
3) The two main wings tend to pop off easier than my other MP Seekers (though not too easily).

Overall
This toy is neither^not pretty nor cheap by any stretch of the imagination. I would only recommend this toy if, like me, you're trying to collect all the Seekers - including the Rainmakers - as Masterpieces (now all we need is for HasTak to give us MP Bitstream!!). Otherwise save yourself $150^$99.

[Sinnertwin]

Not quite the most expensive Seeker released here. MP03G's original price at TRU was $249.99
According to etipsone.com

Studio Etipsone currently manages the entire painting prototype process for the global brand of transformers. Along with painting the master copy for every single TF prototype, the studio provides toy tech support on various commercials, events, shows, and all other forms of PR for the brand. The studio specializes in various visual effects, color guides, design consultation and of course, custom wizardry.

[GoktimusPrime]

Not quite the most expensive Seeker released here. MP03G's original price at TRU was $249.99

Ah yes... that epic shelfwarmer.

According to etipsone.com

Studio Etipsone currently manages the entire painting prototype process for the global brand of transformers. Along with painting the master copy for every single TF prototype, the studio provides toy tech support on various commercials, events, shows, and all other forms of PR for the brand. The studio specializes in various visual effects, color guides, design consultation and of course, custom wizardry.

Thanks for that. I tried looking at their web site last night, but nothing came up. The joys of using the internet in China.

[Starscream77]

Acid Storm is listed as $99 rrp at TRU Australia Gok.

Looks like you paid over for once Gok which seems unlike you as you have an (unhealthy?) obsession with RRP

[GoktimusPrime]

Acid Storm is listed as $99 rrp at TRU Australia Gok.

Corrected

Looks like you paid over for once Gok which seems unlike you as you have an (unhealthy?) obsession with RRP

I've still paid RRP for this toy; but I've purchased it in a country where the RRP is about $30 above the AU RRP. Clearly AU RRP is winning out with both MP Soundwave & Acid Storm (which is excellent news for Australian collectors of course). At any case, I can't refund this toy now (I could try based on the loose wing and stabiliser) because I've now left the city where I bought it from, and where I'm staying now has no TRUs (they're not common in China ).

Oh wells, looks like I just paid a $30 "impatience tax" for the dubious luxury of owning this toy a few weeks sooner. Mind you, at least it does save me time and fuel making phone calls and driving around to various TRUs trying to hunt one down locally (which would be quite time and fuel-cost consuming if it proves to be as hard to find as MP Optimus Prime was). Now I bet you now that I've said that, Acid Storm's gonna be heaps easy to find and possibly even shelf warming at my nearest TRUs!

[MayzaPrime]

I managed to pick up Acid Storm... I have to say I was disappointed with the quality of the figure.

[lancalot]

The mould
My Acid Storm seems to have some QA issues, and I'm not sure if it's just an isolated freak incident or if there's any degradation in the MP Seeker mould. My Acid Storm suffers from the following main problems:
1) The right wing joint is loose making the wing floppy in robot mode.
2) One of the rear stabliser wings is prone to popping off.
3) The two main wings tend to pop off easier than my other MP Seekers (though not too easily).

1. there should be a clip that fold out from the wing and clip into his back ..
2. they all fall out with all of them but i think just acidstorm is not molded properly as my one doesnt clip in place securely at all
3. the wings actually clip off now , as to the old one are pin in place with a closed joint .. i think alot of ppl keep breaking the joints there ..

overall i like him but it is weird that they only did a digital camo on the wings and not the whole plane... and i love the green ... certainly make him stand out , but the should of made a new face for him at least

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah, the clip holds the wing fine; but the floppiness is still rather disappointing for a Masterpiece level toy. You do raise a valid point in that it does at least have something to clip it into place rather than just letting it flop about on its own.

and i love the green ... certainly make him stand out ,

He's practically night safe. I simultaneously love and hate the green (for reasons mentioned in post #1 ).

but the should of made a new face for him at least

Yeah, I agree. One might argue that making the alternate face would've increased the cost of the original MP11, but surely they'd make the money back w/ all the subsequent uses of the mould. Alternatively they should've just maintained or emulated the facial expression changing gimmick from MP03, but I guess they were cutting out some features of the old Seeker mould to compensate for the cost of the new features (which many consider have improved the robot mode). But they could've moulded an alternate expressionless faced on the same original mould to be used for later redecos (as they have often done w/ other TFs). Eh... lack of foresight?

[tangy]

I picked one up from Chicago last month but just got around to opening it - the colour on this is actually quite striking in real life but then again it's my first MP so maybe i'm bias

[lancalot]

I managed to pick up Acid Storm... I have to say I was disappointed with the quality of the figure.

why?.. i like to know your thoughts on this ..